99 Days Of 99 Jersey Numbers: #75

This number had some pretty good players wear it, but for the most part that happened early in the franchise’s history.

As we tick the days off to the season opener against the Patriots on Sept. 7, each day we highlight the players who wore that particular jersey number during their tenure in Miami. In some cases, the player and jersey number are synonymous. In other cases, the jersey number represents sustained greatness at a particular position. Whatever the case may be, jersey numbers are an important part of the fabric of professional football.

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This number had some pretty good players wear it, but for the most part that happened early in the franchise’s history. Probably the biggest name was defensive tackle Manny Fernandez (1968-75), who finished his Dolphin career with 35.0 sacks, which current ranks as the tenth highest figure in team history, and who was selected to the Dolphins’ Walk of Fame in 2012. He is probably best remembered for his performance in the Dolphins’ 14-0 win over the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII to cap the team’s Perfect Season, recording 17 tackles in that game and gaining strong consideration for the contest’s MVP Award, which ultimately went to Jake Scott. The other big name who wore the jersey was one of the key members of the “Killer B’s,” defensive end Doug Betters (1978-87), who was inducted into the team’s Honor Roll in 2008. His 65.5 career sacks with the Dolphins still ranks third among the team’s all-time sack leaders, while his 16 sacks in 1983 remains the fifth highest single season total in team history. The rest of the history of # 75 is a varied one, being worn by occasional starters on both sides of the ball such as defensive end Shane Burton (1996-98), guard Todd Perry (2001-03), and current offensive line jack-of-all-trades Nate Garner (2009-current). It also was worn by defensive tackle Manny Wright, who played three games for the Dolphins in 2005 but is probably most remembered by Dolphins fans for breaking into tears during a training camp practice that season after receiving some strongly worded on-field comments from Head Coach Nick Saban.

Tomorrow: What player who wore # 74 started all 14 games in 1970 alongside eight teammates who also were starters on the famed “No-Name” defense of the 1972 undefeated team, but who never made it to that season himself?